Labour increases poll lead

The Home Secretary's resignation has failed to dent the Government's popularity, according to a poll today.

Despite the turmoil caused by David Blunkett's affair with Kimberly Quinn, Labour's lead has increased from 38 points to 40 over the past month.

There is no sign the Conservatives have been able to capitalise on the Government's troubles.

According to the ICM/Guardian poll, the Tories continue to "flatline" on 31 per cent, only one point higher than their November figure.

Support for the Liberal Democrats continues to fall from their summer high and has slipped from 23 points in October to 21 points. Tony Blair will be comforted by the findings, which indicate Charles Kennedy's party is no longer attracting protest votes from disaffected Labour supporters.

The poll follows infighting at Conservative Central Office over the direction of the party's election campaign. The Evening Standard last week revealed that tensions between the party co-chairman Lord Saatchi and Lynton Crosby, the Australian brought in to oversee the campaign, had resulted in a senior official's departure.